Apparatus for coating fluorescent lamps



Dec. 12, 1944. A. E. KULBERG ET AL 2,354,798

APPARATUS FOR COATING FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed sept. 4, 1941 i 9, l IAugustE.Kulberg-and Charles L Al brghtjINvEN-roxs BY um-w 16H-M,

- ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1944 APPARATUS FOR COATING FLUORESCENTLAMPS August E.- Kulberg and Charles L. Albright, Beverly, Mass.,asslgnors to Sylvania Electric 'Products Inc., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application septeniber 4, 1941, seria1N0.4o9,497

1 Claim. l(ci. 91-f43l This invention relates to fluorescent lampsandmore particularly to 'apparatus for applying a coating of luminescentmaterial thereto.

An object of this invention is to provide an gated tubular glassenvelopes.

drawing in which:

coating apparatus.

assembly.

nozzle assembly.

B to move upwardly.

stud I2.

the other end thereof.

solution flows.

up to the arm Il. rod I6.

vand the rod I6 to which it is attached. inasmuch as the arm I'I -pivotsabout stud I8 on the supporting plate I9, the upward movement of the endof the arm Il adjacent the rod IB will result in the downward movementof the other end The bot- The disc 28 is apparatus which will give asmooth even coating thereof. This in turn pushes the rod 2U downofluminescent material on the walls of the elonward. `This rod 20 extendsdown into the nozzle 2 and its downward movement opens the nozzleAnother object is to provide an apparatus 'and permitsA the luminescentsolution to flow which will insure a coating free from streaks.therefrom. A further object is to provide an apparatus 10 Provision hasbeen made on this apparatus to capable of withstanding the harshabrasive .cause the above-described mechanism to return eiects of theluminescent material. to its normal position when the operator releasesFurther objects, advantages and features will the handle 4 after thetube I has been sufllciently be apparent from the followingspecification coated.` Itis highly desirable to have the valve I5 1taken in conjunction with the accompanying l5 closed to prevent any moreluminescent Asolution from flowing therethrough and to have the nozzleFigure 1 is a side elevational view of the bulb 2 closed to prevent lossof luminescent material therefrom after the bulb I has been removed.Figure2isadetail partly in section of the valve To this end, the arm 2|has been fixed to the 20 upper extremity ofthe rod I6 and a pair ofFigure 3 is a detail partly in section of the 'springs 22 suspendedbetween this,rod and the top of the valve I5. The upward movement of InFigure 1, the bulb I is placed in position the rod I6 will set up atension on the springs 22. beneath the flushing nozzle 2, the lowerextension As soon asthe operator releases the handle 4 the of the bulbresting ilush within the guide 3. The 25 tension will expend itself, thesprings returning control handle 4 lis located directly behind the totheir normal position and thereby pushing the bulb I. so that theoperator may, almost simu1 rod IB downwardly to close the valve I5.taneously and with the same hand, position the The downward movement oflthe rod 20 which bulb and set the coating apparatus into opera'-permits th'e ow of luminescent solution from the tion by pulling thehandle 4' forward. I 30 nozzle 2 causes the compression of the spring 23When the handle 4 of the` rocker 5, held which is concentric with therod 20 and located through the pin 6, is drawn forward it causes thebetween the top of the nozzle 2 andthe collar 24 arm l, connected to therocker 5l through the pin xed on the rod 20. Thus when the operatorreleases the handle 4, the compressed Aspring 23 will 'I'he arm 9 ispivotally mounted on the support- 35 expand, thereby pushing the rod 2liupward by ing plate IU extending from the pipe II. This reason of thefactl that collar 24 is attached arm 9 pivots at its longitudinal centerabout'the thereto. In this way, the nozzle is leilfectively lAn end ofarm I is connected to one end closed to prevent any further flow ofcoating of arm 9 and an end of arm I3 is connected to solutiontherefrom.

Thus the upward move- 40 Figure 2 shows the internal structure of thement of the arm I is transmitted through the arm valve I5 and Figure 3shows the internal struc- 9 intol the downward movement of the arm I3.ture of the nozzle 2. The arm I4 is connected to the arm I3 throughemploy a metallic bellows in its internal struc- .the pin 34 and ispivotally mounted on the top of ture. This structure has been foundhighly adl the valve I5 through the stud 33.- The down@` 45 vantageousin eliminating bearing contact whenward movement of the arm I3 resultsin the yoke ever possible due to thehighly abrasive nature of of the armI4 moving upwardand thereby openthe'luminescent solution. ing the valveI5 through which the luminescent In Figure 2, the top of the bellows 25is iixed to avcollar 2B located beneath the cap of the valve The rod IBextends from withinthe valve I5 50 I5 through which the rod I6 extends.

The c ollar 2| is xed to the tom of the bellows25 is attached to thecollar'ZI The rod IG passes through the yoke ol which is fixed to therod I6. the arm I4. Thus when the yoke of the arm I4 located on thebottom of the rod I6 and it is the moves upward, it pushes upward thecollar 2I yraising and lowering of'this disc that controls the 55 `iiowof the vluminescent solution through the It should be noted that bothvalve. Thus itmay be seen from this structure that bearing contact oi'moving parts with luminescent solution is eliminated. The movement ofthe rod I B to open and close the passage of solution through the valveI5 is completely enclosed by the bellows at the point of contact.

In Figure 3, the bellows 29 is tted Within the nozzle 2 in a mannersimilar to that in which the bellows 25 is tted Within theY valve I5.The solution defiector plug 30 on the end of the rod 20 vis normallyclosed with the opening in the bottom of the nozzle 2 thereby preventingany coating solution flowing therefrom. When the operator draws forwardthe handle 4 as shown in Figure 1, the rod 20 is pushed downward,thereby causing the solution deector plug' to move out from the openingin the bottom` of the nozzle 2 and to,V

permit the luminescentsolution to ilow therefrom.

The movement of the rod 20 'within the nozzle 2 isnever such that abearing contact is exposed ascuas l bottom to the'collar 32. Thus, likebellows 25 in Figure 2, it expands-'and contracts with the movement ofthe rod 20. Q t

What we claim is:v A valve unit for coating glass tubes with luminescentmaterial, said unit comprising: a conduit `for carryingsaid material; acontrol valve adjacent the end of said conduit; a delivery valve at tothe coating solution for the rod 20`is enclosed within the bellows 29. lThis bellows 29 is fixed at both its ends. the topto the collar 3l andthe the end of said conduit; means on said delivery valve for receivingan end of a tube toA be coated; a guide member below saiddelivery valve,for

aligning a tube with an end in Asaid delivery valve receiving means;a'linkage system arranged to operate said valves simultaneously; and ahandle for dperating'said valves throughsad linkage, said handle beingpivotally'; mountedl adjacent said guide member whereby a tube, asarranged for coating in' said unit, may be included in a manual grip onsaid handle, and pressed against said guide thereby, as a fixed memberin the con'- traction of y said gripto pivot said handle and operatesaid linkage.

AUGUST E. KULBERG.

CHARLES L. ALBRIGHT. Y.

